Egypt blames Palestinian group for New Years' Day church bombing

[oberliner]

Egypt's interior minister said on Sunday the government had proof that the Army of Islam, a Palestinian group linked to Al-Qaida, was behind the New Year's Day bombing of a church that killed 23 people.

Officials had suspected an Al-Qaida -inspired bomber was behind the blast that ripped through a crowd outside the church in the city of Alexandria, prompting protests by Christians that the state had not done enough to protect them.

The Army of Islam considers leaders of Al-Qaida as spiritual mentors and endorses its ideology, though it has never admitted direct links to the group.

An Iraq-based Al-Qaida group had called for attacks on Egypt's Christians, who make up one tenth of the population, before the church bombing.

"If elements of the Palestinian Army of Islam, linked to Al-Qaida, thought they had hidden behind elements that were recruited, we have decisive proof of their heinous involvement in planning and carrying out such a villainous terrorist act," Interior Minister Habib el-Adli said in a speech.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/egypt-blames-palestinian-group-for-new-years-day-church-bombing-1.338699

[LeftishBrit]

1. A nasty group

That's the one that Abu Qataba is affiliated with, I believe.

[oberliner]

2. Hamas blame Israel for Egyptian church attack

Hamas published an announcement accusing the Mossad of being behind the New Year's Day suicide bombing that killed at least 21 Christians and wounded about a hundred outside a church in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria.

Following Egyptian accusations claiming 'the Palestinian Army of Islam' was responsible for the terror attack, Hamas denied its involvement. However a spokesman of 'the Palestinian Army of Islam' did praise those behind the attack

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4017706,00.html

[Alamuti Lotus]

3. the same group has carried out attacks in Hamas in Gaza